Kinetics characterization and visible photoluminescence spectroscopy of an erbium-doped tellurite glass

Abstract

This article aims to study the detailed thermal behavior, characterization of kinetics and the luminescence properties of TeO2–Li2O–ZnO–Nb2O5–Er2O3 glass system as a function of increasing Er2O3 (mol%). Kinetic parameters of the glass series have been studied by the data obtained from the differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) under non-isochronal circumstances at heating rates (β) 10, 15, 20 and 25 K min−1 using the continuous-heating technique. The glass thermal stability (ΔT), the thermal relaxation resistance (ΔS) and the glass stability parameter (KSP) have been calculated to state the applicability of using the glass in specific fields and applications. Activation energies of both the glass transition (Eg) and crystallization (Ec) processes were determined from the shift of the transition (Tg) and crystallization (Tc) temperatures with the different heating rates using Kissinger’s and Ozawa’s techniques. The kinetic Avrami number (order of the crystallization reaction) (n) was also calculated to define the mechanism of the crystallization process. Quantitative interpretation of the kinetic parameters (the relation between thermal and structural properties with changing the chemical composition) also has been provided. The luminescence properties showed that the glass with the least concentration of Er2O3 (0.5 mol %) exhibited the higher emission intensity which might be a suitable candidate for the green laser applications.